Foldable stretcher



' Feb. 5, 1946. E. KOLLER FOLDABLE STRETCHER Filed June 17, 1942' '2 sheets-sneer:

. A ./Z I i I! IN:

Feb. 5, 1946. E, K LLEQ 2,394,245

FOLDABLE STRETCHER Filed June 17, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED STAT ES PATENT OFFICE FOLDABLE STRETCHER Ernst. Koller, Basel, Switzerland ApplicationJunell', 1942, Serial No. 447,416 In Switzerland J uly, 22;,1941

6. Claims.

The present invention relates to foldable stretchers of the type provided'at both-ends With- A further object of the invention is to provide an improved stretcher whereinang-ular adjustments and clamping's; ofeach carrying'handle can be easilyperformedqby means of simple and readily accessible devices the manipulation of which can be effected" even; single handed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved stretcher having such a convertible shape as to be utilisable for miscel laneoususes such for example assled, barrow, bicycle trailer or the like.

With these and such other objects inviewas will incidentally appear hereafterytheinvention comprises the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts that will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings exemplifying the same and forming a part of the present disclosure.

In the drawings: a I

Figures 1 and 2} show astretcher in side and top plan views;-

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the-line Figure 4 is a side view of Fig. 3-;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross sectional View on the line- V'-V of Fig. 3;

Figure 6 is a top plan view showing the middle portion of two cross ties of the stretcher;

Figure 7 is a side view showingthemiddleportion or each ofthe two pairs of longitudinal girdersot the stretcher;

Figure 8 is a top-plan view of-' Fig.1.;

Figure 9: is a side view similarto Fig. 7 but assuming the parts to occupy other positions;

Fig; 10- is a perspective view otthe device according to Figs. 1- and- 2, but with the several handles in an alternative position;

I1 is a perspective view of the device according to Figs. 1 and 2, but with the stretcher body in an alternative position;

Fig. 12' is a perspective. view of the-device, used a reclining chair;

Fig. 13- is a perspective view of the device, used asa sled;

5 Fig. 141s. a perspective view of the device, used as a sled barrow;

Fig. 151s a perspective View of a modified form of the device;

Fig. 16 is a perspectiveview. of: the stretcher- 10 with the handles removed, i. e.;usedvas afifildcot; Fig. 17 is a perspective View of. a modified form of field cot accordingitorthe. invention;

Fig. 18 is a perspectiveiview of a modification wherein the handles function as supporting legs;

Fig. 19 is a perspective viewofia wheeled barrow embodiment according to-the inv ntion;

Fig. 20 is a perspectiveview. of av modification constituting-a bicycle trailer.

Corresponding. parts bear like reference nu.-

20 morals throughout the several figures of; drawings.

- The stretcher shown in Figures. 1 and 2; and made up 'of a. pair of stretcher halves coupled together along themlddle cross plane is: provided with two longitudinalbeams. or girders,3:, 4. upon the end portions of which are movably mounted carrying handles 5., 6., having downwardly bent outer ends. To. that efiect, the girders 3-, 4; are provided at thebearingpoints of the hand1es,5 6; with bearing pins 1 (Figure 3:). extending down.- wardlyin the vertical: direction and fitted with revoluble sockets 9; Each socket 9 is provided with an outwardly projecting pivot I0 extending v horizontally and having a stepped outline upon which each of-the carrying handles 5, 6 is pivoted in turn through the. medium of a flange the pivot It) by means of a wing nut I2 screwed upon stepped threaded portion I'll of the pivot In. In order to securely hold the flange plates I I to the carrying handles 5-, 6 in different pivoted positions in the vertical plane, as shown for example in Figurev 4, there. is. provided between each pivotlll and the. corresponding flange plate H a safety device l3 built similarly to a claw coupling and adapted to. be brought into different coupling positions after releasing the wing nut l2.

Through each pivot- ID is engaged a springa cap us which, in the position. shown by full. lines in Figure 5, engages by a pair of oppositely disposed slot-like grooves I! the wings of the nut off position, as shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 5, after the cap I6 is outwardly moved by sliding its grooves l'l oif the wings of the nut l2 and then somewhat rotated, the said cap is abutted by its peripheral edge under the influence of the spring acting upon the bolt l4, against the wings of the nut, so that the pivot In can be rotated together with the parts connected thereto about the bearing pin 1. For preventing the pivot from rotating outside predetermined limits, the bolt M can also be locked by means of the cap lswhich, besides having notches l1, may be also provided with less deep notches i8 ofiset relative to notches I! (Figure 3) man in-. termediate position in which only its reduced end In order to hold the securing bolt M in its ing a notch 25 to receive the subjacent cam 22 which is provided on the other plate 2! and two notches 26 for the set screw 23. De-coupling of the parts comes out with particular clearness from Fig. 9. As shown in this figure, in the illustrated position of the girder parts 3*, 3 the cam 22 being in the notch 25, the girder part 3 is pivoted about the axis of the cam 22 engaged into the notch 25 until the desired position is imparted to the stretcher which brings the one or the other notch 26 within reach of the set screw 23, whereafter tightening of the latter permits the two coupling plates 2|, 24 to be securely clamped in their reciprocal positions.

According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 10,

the handles 5, 5 and 6, 6 extend laterally from H engages the desired bore in the bearing pin 1. 7

Accordingly, when the stretcher is used in the position of rest shown in Figures 1 and 2, a possibility is afforded to so securely clamp the carrying handles 5, B by means of the caps I6 as to prevent the said handles from pivoting with respect to the bearing pins 1 or alternatively as to allow them to pivot only within small limits. I-his last possibility is particularly valuable when the stretcher must be carried through a relatively narrow passage round a corner.

Recapitulating, the aforedescribed relationship of parts makes it possible to rotate the handles 5, 6 horizontally about vertically-disposed bearing pins, as well as in a vertical plane about journal I 0, Ill which extends horizontally, i. e. perpendicularly with reference to socket 9 and pin 1.

The operation is as follows:

For horizontal adjustment, cap 16 is moved from the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 5v

to the position shown by dot and dash lines. thereby moving member [4-, It outof locking engagement with pin], whereupon the entire assembly of parts mounted on the latter may be rotated therearound to the desired new position. Cap [6 and member l4, l4 may then be replaced to locking position. a

For adjustment in the vertical plane, the wing nut is unscrewed sufiiciently to enable the dentations l3 of plate H to be withdrawn from the dentations l3 of member Ill whereby the plate and associated handle 5 (or B) are released for rotary movement relative to journal I0, 19*- and the wing nut. After moving the plate and-handle to the desired position, dentations l3 are reengaged and the wing nut tightened, whereupon the parts are locked in place in the new position.

Between each pair of bearing pins I situated in the sam transverse plane extends a cross tie i9 provided in its middle portion with a knuckle joint furnished with a safety device adapted to prevent the tie from unduly yielding. As is apparent from Figure 6, this safety device comprises a spring-urged locking lever 20 pivoted to one of the tie parts and cooperating with a lug 2i] pro-' vided on the other part of the tie. j

As above set forth, the stretcher built. as shown in Figures 1 and 2 is made up of a pair of stretcher halves coupled together. To that effect, as is visible from Figures 7, 8 and 9, each of the mutually coupled girders is fitted at its oppositely disposed ends with a coupling plate.

The girder part designated by 3 in Figures '1, 8 and 9 carries a coupling plate 2| provided with a stationary obliquely positioned cam 22 and also with a set screw 23 while the other girder part designated by 3 carries acoupling plate '24 haveach side-of the stretcher instead of longitudinally from each end as in Figs. 1 and 2.

The embodiment of Fig. 11 differs from that of Figs. 1 and 2 essentially only in that one half of the stretcher is vertically inclined. The corresponding arms 5, B have nevertheless been adjusted to retain their parallelism with respect to the other pair of arms 5, 6.

According to Fig. 12, only one pair of handles 5, 6 are retained, and these function as supporting props for the inclined stretcher half. The resultant construction may function as a reclining seat. I

In Fig. 13, the handles 5, 5 and 6, 5 are disas sled runners, as shown.

According to Fig. 14, the rear handles 5, 6 extend upwardly to define the arms of a sled barrow, the runners of which are constituted by the forward handles 5, 6.

According to the modification shown in Fig. 15, th arms 5; 5 and 6, 6 are replaced by suspending loops 2! provided with eyes 28 whereby the assembly may be hung from a line 29.

In Fig. 16, a field cot is provided by removing each pair of handles 5, .6. In Fig. 17,the handles arereplaced by loops 3| which support a. cover 32 to provide a covered cot. 1 g

.In Fig. .18, the handles 5, 5 and 6, 6 aredirected downwardly as shown constituting supporting props for situations where it is desired to keep the stretcher in relatively elevated position.

Fig. 19 shows thestretcher adapted to a pair of wheels 33 to provide a wheeled barrow structure. Only the rear pair of handles 5, 6 are retained.

Finally, according to Fig. 20, the wheeled stretcher of Fig. 19 is constituted a bicycle trailer, arms 5, 6 being secured to the bicycle frame 34 by any suitable and conventional connecting posed relative to the stretcher so as to function I means.

It will be readily apparent from the diiferent possibilities of using the device accordingto the invention, as shown in Figs. 10 to 20, that these depend, in large measure, upon the possibility of adiusting'the handles vertically as well as horizontally.

WhatI'claim is:

1. A foldable stretcher comprising a body including a pair of longitudinal side girders, a vere tical bearing pin on each girder adjacent each end thereof, a socket revoluble on each pin, a horizontal pivot integral with the socket, a stretcher-carrying handle adjacent each end of each girder, said handle including a flange plate journaled about the pivot and having engularly adjustable coupling means, cooperating coupling means on the pivot, and a tightening member holding both coupling means interengaged; v

' 2. A foldable stretcher comprising a body including a pair of longitudinal side girders, a vertical bearing pin on each girder adjacent each end thereof, a socket revoluble on each pin, a horizontal threaded pivot integral with the socket, a stretcher-carrying handle adjacent each end of each girder, said handle including a flange plate journaled about the pivot and having a claw coupling element, a cooperating claw coupling element on the pivot, and a nut engageable with the threaded pivot.

3. A foldable stretcher comprising a body including a pair of longitudinal side girders, a vertical recessed bearing pin on each girder adjacent each end thereof, a socket revoluble on each pin, a horizontal externally threaded hollow pivot integral with the socket, a stretcher-carrying handle adjacent each end of each girder, said handle including a downwardly extending flange plate journaled about the pivot and having a claw coupling element on the pivot, a wing nut engageable over the threaded pivot, and a springurged angularly adjustable member housed in the pivot and cooperating with the recesses in the pin, whereby said pivot and pin may selectively be locked together against relative movement with respect to each other and released for such relative movement.

4. A foldable stretcher comprising a body including a pair of longitudinal side girders, a vertical bearing pin on each girder adjacent each end thereof, said pins having crosswise recesses, a socket revoluble on each pin, a horizontal externally threaded bored pivot integral with the socket, a stretcher-carrying handle adjacent each end of each girder, said handle including a downwardly extending flange plate journaled about the pivot and having a claw coupling element, a cooperating claw coupling element on the pivot, a wing nut screwable upon the threaded pivot, a spring-urged bolt housed in the pivot bore and cooperating with the pin recesses, and a cap fastened to said bolt and having notches cooperating with the nut wings for angularly adjusting the handle.

5. A foldable stretcher comprising a body including parallel longitudinal side girders interconnected by ties fitted with knuckle joints, a vertical bearing pin on each girder adjacent each end thereof, a horizontal pivot rotatably girdling the adjacent pin, a stretcher-carrying handle including journal means rotatably mounted on each pivot, means for adjusting the angular position of each handle on its pivot, means for clamping the handle in the adjusted position, and means for restricting the rotary movement of said pivot about said pin.

6. A foldable stretcher comprising a body including a pair of girders, each girder including lengths of tubing adjustably coupled together end to end, the girders being interconnected by ties fitted with knuckle joints, a recessed hearing pin vertically projecting from each girder end, a horizontal pivot revolubly girdling the adjacent pin, a stretcher-carrying handle having an extension rotatably encompassing each pivot, means for adjusting the angular position of each handle about its pivot, cooperating means on the pivot and extension for angular setting of the handle in one direction, and cooperating means on the pivot and pin recesses for angular setting of the handle at right angles to said direction.

ERNST KOLLER. 

